Question

A toy car having mass m = 1.10 kg collides inelastically with a toy train of mass M = 3.55 kg. Before the collision, the toy train is moving in the positive x-direction with a velocity of Vi = 2.20 m/s and the toy car is also moving in the positive x-direction with a velocity of vi = 4.95 m/s. Immediately after the collision, the toy car is observed moving in the positive x-direction with a velocity of 1.80 m/s.

(a) Determine the final velocity of the toy train. cm/s
(b) Determine the change ake in the total kinetic energy.

Answer 1

Answer:

$V_{ft}= 317 cm/s$

ΔK = 2.45 J

Explanation:

a) Using the law of the conservation of the linear momentum:

$P_i = P_f$

Where:

$P_i=M_cV_{ic} + M_tV_{it}$

$P_f = M_cV_{fc} + M_tV_{ft}$

Now:

$M_cV_{ic} + M_tV_{it} = M_cV_{fc} + M_tV_{ft}$

Where $M_c$ is the mass of the car, $V_{ic}$ is the initial velocity of the car, $M_t$ is the mass of train, $V_{fc}$ is the final velocity of the car and $V_{ft}$ is the final velocity of the train.

Replacing data:

$(1.1 kg)(4.95 m/s) + (3.55 kg)(2.2 m/s) = (1.1 kg)(1.8 m/s) + (3.55 kg)V_{ft}$

Solving for $V_{ft}$:

$V_{ft}= 3.17 m/s$

Changed to cm/s, we get:

$V_{ft}= 3.17*100 = 317 cm/s$

b) The kinetic energy K is calculated as:

K = $\frac{1}{2}MV^2$

where M is the mass and V is the velocity.

So, the initial K is:

$K_i = \frac{1}{2}M_cV_{ic}^2+\frac{1}{2}M_tV_{it}^2$

$K_i = \frac{1}{2}(1.1)(4.95)^2+\frac{1}{2}(3.55)(2.2)^2$

$K_i = 22.06 J$

And the final K is:

$K_f = \frac{1}{2}M_cV_{fc}^2+\frac{1}{2}M_tV_{ft}^2$

$K_f = \frac{1}{2}(1.1)(1.8)^2+\frac{1}{2}(3.55)(3.17)^2$

$K_f = \frac{1}{2}(1.1)(1.8)^2+\frac{1}{2}(3.55)(3.17)^2$

$K_f = 19.61 J$

Finally, the change in the total kinetic energy is:

ΔK = Kf - Ki = 22.06 - 19.61 = 2.45 J